Elevator



Mac 8, 1927. 1,620,305

B. C. VAN EMON ELEVATOR Filed Oct. 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '7 11VVENTOR v ,5 6mm, Z/mr fi A TTORNE Y5 Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y

BURTON CHARLES VAN EMON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAMESM. KOFORD, TRUSTEE, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

ELEVATOR.

Application filed October 4, 1926.

My invention relates to the class of ramelevators, and is applicable toany condition which requires a separation of the ram from the platform,in order that the latter may be free to be moved about to various otherpositions. Such a condition, for example, new finds expression intheatres, where, for various scenic effects and other purposes, aplatform'mounted upon tracks and adapted to be moved about horizontallyupon a fixed stage or floor, is, when in one or more predeterminedpositions, brought into registry with one or more rams by which it maybe elevated from and lowered to said floor.

Obviously, no permanent connection is available between the platform andram, in such a case; and while the ideal connection or association isone of mere contact which when established would elevate, support andcontrol the descent of the platform and by the Withdrawal of the ramfrom such contact upon the limit of platform descent to its support onthe fixed floor, would fully free the platform to enable it to be movedabout horizontally over and upon said floor, still such connection isdeficient and impracticable in that it does not positively insure thehorizontality of the platform nor give to it that rigid, fixed supportwhich is absolutely required for the comfort and assured safety of theperformers.

To secure such positive and safe connection between the ram and platformis the objectof my invention; and to this end my invention consists in acontact bearing between said members, and an associated clamping meansautomatically operative both for engagement and release. It alsoconsists in the novel contact bearing and automatic clamp, which intheir preferred form, I shall hereinafter fully describe by reference tothe accompanying drawings, it being understood that changes in structureand arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of my elevator, showingthe ram released from the platform.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, in vertical section, showing the ramclamped to the platform.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the platform on the line 3-3 of Fig.1, showing the Serial No. 139,299.

clamping members in plan, and the ram head and its bearing plate indotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, enlarged, of one of the clamping members inengagement with the ram head-plate.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same.

1, in Fig. 1 is a cylinder, having a ram 2 operated by suitable pressurefluid admitted through the connection 3, the relief from pressure notbeing herein shown.

4 is a platform, adapted to rest normally upon and to be movedhorizontally over a fixed floor 5, usually by means of wheels andtracks, not herein shown.

To the upper end of the ram 3 is fixed a head-plate 6, preferably madein sections bolted together about the ram as shownin Figs. 2 and 3. Theplate 6 forms a project ing flange for the ram head and said plate mayhave any suitable contour, though an angular one, such as here indicatedin Fig. 3 is preferred.

The ram with its flange-head plays up through the fixed floor 5 andmakes contact with a pair of inner frame members 4 forming part of thestructure of the platform 4.

As the ram rises, it elevates the platform from the fixed floor; and asit moves down, it controls the descent of the platform to said floor.hen the platform reaches and is supported by the floor, the ram,continuing to descend, removes its head-plate 6 from its contact withsaid platform thereby wholly freeing the latter for such horizontalmovements upon the floor 5 as may be contemplated.

7 are clamping members. They are latchlike dogs pivotally depending fromshafts 8 fixed in the frame members 4 of the platform 4. They may be inany required numher, in opposing pairs. In the present case, I show inFig. 3 four such clamping dogs, two on each side.

Upon the shafts 8, are pivoted the angle lovers 9. There are four ofthese, one associated with each clamping dog. These levers arebifurcated, their spaced and connected depending arms lying on each sideof the clamping dog and adjustably connected therewith by a screw 10. Inthe extremity of the horizontal arm of each lever 9 is a roller 11.

Behind each clamping dog 7, is a stop 12 mounted in the platform 4. Thenormal position of each clamping assembly, as defined by the screw 10regulating the relation of the levers 9 to the dogs 7, and as limited bythe stop 12 is shown in Fig. 1. The roller 11, by the gravity of itslever 9, projects slightly below the lower edge of the frame members 4of the platform, and is there held by the contact of the back of the dog7 with the stop 12. In this position the hook-end of the dog lies in avertical plane immediately outside of the vertical plane of the edge ofthe head-plate 6, sufficiently to permit said plate to pass saidhook-end in reaching the contact of the plate with the frame members 4of the platform.

By referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that as the ram rises, itshead or flangeplate 6 having passed the hook-ends of the dogs, andhaving contacted with the projecting rollers 11, has reached its contactwith the frame members l of the platform 4, and in so doing has pressedsaid rollers up and caused the dogs 7 to swing their hook ends inwardlyunder and in engagement with the edge of the head plate 6.

This engagement is also shown on an enlarged scale in 4; and, 5, andsaid engagement firmly clamps the ram to the platform and continuesunabated as long as the weight of the platform is borne by the ram.

But when the ram descends and the platform reaches and is supported bythe fixed floor 5, the continued descending tendency of the ram relievesthe rollers 11, and the weight of the levers 9 then swings the dogs outfrom engaging the ram head 6, so that said head and ram may return tonormal position entirely clear of the platform which is thus free to bemoved about on the fixed floor as may be intended.

I claim 1. In an elevator, the combination of a platform; a ramseparable from said platform; and means for automatically clamping saidplatform and ram together upon and during the imposition of theplatforms weight upon the ram, and automatically releasing the platformand ram when the latter is relieved of said weight.

2. In an elevator, the combination of a platform; a ram having a headplate adapted. by contact to raise and lower said platform; and meanscarried by said platform for automatically clamping the head plate uponand during the imposition of the plat forms weight thereon, andautomatically releasing said head plate when relieved of said weight.

3. In an elevator, the combination of a platform; a ram having a headplate adapted by contact to raise and lower said platform; and meanscarried by said platform for automatically clamping the head plate uponand during the imposition of the platforms weight thereon, andautomatically releasing said head plate when relieved of said weight,said means comprising swinging dogs, and gravity levers actuated by saidhead plate, for controlling said dogs.

4. In an elevator, the combination of a platform; a ram having a headplate adapted by contact to raise and lower said platform; and meanscarried by said platform for automatically clamping the head plate uponand during the imposition of the platforms weight thereon, andautomatically releasing said head plate when relieved of said weight,said means comprising swinging dogs, gravity levers actuated by saidhead plate for controlling said dogs, and means for adjusting therelation of said dogs and levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

BURTON CHARLES VAN EMON.

